WEBVTT 67 MILLION DOLLARS IS BEINGDISTRIBUTED TO SOME PUBLICHOUSING RESIDENTS WHO SUFFEREDFROM LEAD POISON.BUT NOT EVERYONE SAYS THEY HAD ACHANCE TO CASHIN. SOME RESIDENTS SAY THEY DIDNOT EVEN KNOWABOUT THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITOR SETTLEMENT IN THIS CASE.WDSU REPORTER GINA SWANSON TELLSUS WHAT THOSE RESIDENTSARE DOING NOW AND IF THEY WILLEVER BE ABLE TO MAKE A CLAIM.SCOTT THERE IS A PETITIONCIRCULATING FOR THOSE WHO SAYTHEY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE LEADPAINT SETTLEMENT. BUTITS NOT LEGALLY BINDING ANDUNLIKELY THAT ANYTHING WILLCHANGE. THE COURT ENTERED ITSFINAL JUDGEMENT ONTHIS CASE SEPTEMBER 27TH OF LASTYEAR. AND FUNDS AREALREADY BEING DISTRIBUTED.open this case so we can getsome help too for the ones thatreally need itTASHA JOHNSON SAYS HER TWODAUGHTERS HAVE SUFFERED FROMLEAD POISONING AS A RESULT OFLIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING. SHEAND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVESIGNED A PETITION HOPINGTO CASH IN ON 67 MILLION INSETTLEMENT MONEY FOR THOSEWHO WERE AFFECTED BY LEAD. THEPROBLEM IS THECASE IS CLOSED... but everyonedid not know about this we feelthat wewas not fairly treated FOLKSGATHERED HERE SAY THOUGHTHEY LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING THEYWERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THECLASS ACTION SUIT OR HOW TOSUBMIT A CLAIM...this lawsuit has been pendingsince 1995 BRUNO AND BRUNO ISONE OFTHE 9 LAW FIRMS THAT HANDLED THECASE. JOSEPH BRUNOSAYS JUST BECAUSE YOU LIVED INPUBLIC HOUSING THAT DIDNOT AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY YOU TOBE APART OF THESUIT. children who were exposedduring the time frame of thatlawsuit were the only childrenwho could have been includedIN ORDER TO QUALIFY YOU HAD TOLIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING BEFOREFEBRUARY OF 2001. MEDICALDOCUMENTS THAT YOU SUFFEREDFROM LEAD POISONING AT SIX YEARSOLD OR YOUNGER. ANDBORN ON OR AFTER DECEMBER 121987. BRUNO SAYS THEY WEREABLE DETERMINE WHO QUALIFIEDBECAUSE OF LEAD POISION RECORDSKEPT BY THE CITY. we hadavailable to us a record of eachchild who hadthe test with the elevated bloodlead we did everything we couldto find good valid addresses forthose childrendid everything we could to getthem to come and participate inthis class actionTHEY ALSO PUT IT IN THENEWSPAPER, ON TELEVISION THERADIO AND THE INTERNET. thefeeling here is that we werescrewed once again 8:01:07 onceagain we were screwed 8:01:10 welive in public housing we wereraised in public housingraised my children in publichousing and you are telling methat i did not get your paperworkDOLFINETTE MARTIN IS COLLECTINGSIGNATURES OFTHOSE WHO WANT A CHANCE TO CASHIN ON THE SETTLEMENTMONEY. SHE HAS MORE THAN THREETHOUSAND SO FAR.we are going to ask the court tore-open this case or even askthem to look at how the monieswas spentBUT THE SETTLEMENT IS FINAL. ANDMARTIN KNOWSTHE PETITION MAY NOT GET VERYFAR.it may not but for once we havecome together to fight for acuase worth fighting for worthfighting forTHE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT ISCLOSED. IF THEREIS ANYONE WHO SUFFERED FROM LEADPOISON LIVING IN PUBLICHOUSING THERE MAY BE SOME LEGALRECOURSE...BUTNOT AS A PART OF THAT CASE. THEYSHOULD SEEK AN ATTORNEY.HERE'S HOW THE SETTLEMENT BREAKSDOWN ...2 THOUSANDPEOPLE QUALIFIED FOR A PAYOUT.THE AMOUNT RANGESDEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THECASE OF LEAD POISON. 40PERCENT OR--26 POINT 8MILLION--OF THE SETTLEMENT...WENT TO ATTORNEY FEES FOR THE 9LAW FIRMS INVOLVED ANDOTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THECASE.